Between MLB callups, the would-be 771st Met batted .315, fourth in the Pacific Coast League, with 34 doubles, 11 homers, and 81 RBI. His 34 doubles and 81 RBI ranked his third and sixth, respectively.

His last big-league hit was [url=http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/wrapup.jsp?ymd=20050608&content_id=1082167&vkey=wrapup2004&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb]against the Mets[/url], as reported by Bryan Hoch.

Benjamin Grimm Sep 15 2005 08:53 AM

771 Mets.

Wow.

We started the 2005 season at 747. That means there have already been 23 new Mets this year, which is probably quite a bit more than usual. (I once figured out how many new Mets there were each season. The thread may survive on ezBoard. The season with the fewest new Mets was 1988, in which only three players debuted. Mackey Sasser was one of them. Offhand I can't recall the other two.)

Frayed Knot Sep 15 2005 09:18 AM

The brief bit I picked up off an Astro board about Self was that not only did he not hit in the bigs the way he did in the minors but that he didn't look like the same hitter again in the minors following his ML stint.

Not really sure what role he fills here but maybe they're hoping to catch some lightning and have one more 1st base candidate to throw into the mix for next year.

* Not only 23 new Mets but as many as 16 or 17 of them have played enough to likely make our top-30 cut-off. Not sure what our record is on that front either - obviously all 30 guys in '62 were "new".

Brian Daubach came back homeNever really got a chanceTakatsu's fastball lost a gameStill he makes his slow pitch dance

Woodward was an extra shortA luxury we didn't needRing we got for AlomarIt seems his fastball lost its speed

Of all the Mets who've ever playedSantiago's third-least popular*Hamulack, not yet on trackTo be our lefty bullpen star

Heredia endured too muchHe couldn't even feel his handNow I myself await Todd SelfPerhaps last of this motley band

* I looked it up. Yesterday's most popular lookup: Ron Swoboda.

SwitchHitter Sep 15 2005 11:06 AM

The thing I hate about y'all getting Todd Self is that we got nothing for him. And we DFA'ed him so we could keep Brandon fucking Duckworth. Not everyone believes in Self (obviously) but I do. He's a lefty bat that would probably have come in handy.

seawolf17 Sep 15 2005 11:22 AM

Perhaps Scott Strickland can learn how to be a power-hitting left-handed first baseman instead.

The Astros need to believe in theirSelf.

Edgy DC Sep 15 2005 11:24 AM

You've got to believe in your Self.

But now you believe in my Self, which I appreciate.

My reports said that he was DFA'd to activate Strickland, which is fair and just, since y'all got Strick for nothing when the Mets DFA'd him.

Centerfield Sep 15 2005 12:42 PM

I thought David Cone once got in a lot of trouble for loving him Self.

Stories like Self's are always great to hear. The Nats have one too, though I forget his name. I think it should be a rule that if you are below .500, you MUST call up someone from the minors who is:

1. Over 32 years old2. Never been in the bigs

Benjamin Grimm Sep 15 2005 12:48 PM

CPF mini-contest:

What should be the title of Self's autobiography?

Winner receives dinner for one at the Crane Pool Cafe.

Edgy DC Sep 15 2005 12:49 PM

Do we have to photoshop a cover?

Frayed Knot Sep 15 2005 12:54 PM

Not sure about the autobiography, but one hit wonders 'The Divinyls' penned what should be his wife/girlfriend's theme song a couple years back:

If he had been dealt to the Marlins, his autobiography could have been titled:Selffish

Later

Centerfield Sep 15 2005 02:59 PM

We should give him away so we'll be looked as Selfless.

SwitchHitter Sep 15 2005 05:02 PM

I have nothing against Strickland. But that deadwood Duckworth is the one who should've been DFA'ed, not Self. Duckworth was being used to pitch BP for Jeff Bagwell while he was still on the DL. Anybody could've done that, even me. Scott Strickland could've done that. Now, don't get me wrong, Duckworth is a nice guy--he wrote me back when I wrote him a letter of encouragement when he was sent down to AAA. But, as a pitcher, he flat-out sucks. He couldn't get AAA hitters out. He's only pitched .1 inning since he was recalled and he shouldn't've pitched that. I don't get on many players, really, but this is the exception.